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ToxFAQs™ for Chloroethane

This fact sheet answers the most frequently asked health questions about chloroethane. For more information, you may call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-888-422-8737. This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries about hazardous substances and their health effects. This information is important because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present.

Highlights

Exposure to chloroethane can occur from breathing air or drinking water containing it. Exposure to high levels of chloroethane can affect your nervous system, causing lack of muscle control and unconsciousness. This substance has been found in at least 282 of the 1,467 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

What is chloroethane?

Chloroethane is a colorless gas at room temperature and pressure. It has a characteristically sharp smell. It is a liquid when stored in pressurized containers; however, the liquid evaporates quickly when exposed to room air. Chloroethane catches fire easily.

It was used in leaded gasoline, but strict new government regulations have reduced that use dramatically. It is used in the production of cellulose, dyes, medicinal drugs, and other commercial products, and as a solvent and refrigerant.

It is also used to numb the skin before medical procedures such as ear piercing and skin biopsies and as a treatment in sports injuries.

How can chloroethane affect my health?

Brief exposure to high levels can produce temporary feelings of drunkenness. At higher levels, it can cause lack of muscle coordination and unconsciousness. It can also cause stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and eye irritation. Chloroethane is sometimes applied to the skin as a numbing agent before surgery. If it is applied for too long, frostbite can result. Some people had allergic reactions to it, and others experienced mild pain after being sprayed for 10 seconds.

How likely is chloroethane to cause cancer?

Laboratory tests in animals have shown
that long-term exposure can cause cancer in mice. It is not
known whether it causes cancer in humans. The International
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has concluded that chloroethane
is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity in humans.

How does chloroethane affect children?

We don't know whether chloroethane exposure
can affect development in people. In animal studies, the babies
of mice exposed to chloroethane during pregnancy had delayed
development. It is not known whether children differ from
adults in their susceptibility to chloroethane.

Is there a medical test to show whether I've been
exposed to chloroethane?

There are complex analytical tests that
chemists use to measure chloroethane in blood, milk, or urine.
However, no commonly used medical tests are available to determine
whether or not a person has been exposed to chloroethane.

Has the federal government made recommendations to
protect human health?

EPA requires industries to report accidental
discharges or spills of 100 pounds or more of chloroethane
to EPA.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates the amount of chloroethane in workplace air. The limit for an 8-hour workday, over a 40-hour workweek, is 1,000 parts per million (1,000 ppm).

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommends a limit of 100 ppm chloroethane in workplace air.

ATSDR can also tell you the location of occupational and environmental health clinics. These clinics specialize in
recognizing, evaluating, and treating illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous substances.

Information line and technical assistance:
Phone: 888-422-8737

To order toxicological profiles, contact:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Phone: 800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000

Disclaimer
Some PDF files may be electronic conversions from paper copy or other electronic ASCII text files. This conversion may have resulted in character translation or format errors. Users are referred to the original paper copy of the toxicological profile for the official text, figures, and tables. Original paper copies can be obtained via the directions on the toxicological profile home page, which also contains other important information about the profiles.

The information contained here was correct at the time of publication. Please check with the appropriate agency for any changes to the regulations or guidelines cited.